How tall is Bruce Lee ?

Bruce Lee height: 5ft 7.5in (171 cm)

Hong Kong American martial artist and actor best known for starring in films such as Enter the Dragon, Way of the Dragon and Fist of Fury. He had pretty extensive measurements of his whole body and he wrote his height before becoming famous as 5ft 8. Also 5ft 7.5 has been mentioned in some of his books and he also said in a radio interview that height. His Brother Robert Lee said on the EarlyYears website "Bruce was an inch taller than I. I am 5/7 and Bruce was 5/8 with a shoe size of 7-71/2. I know it's a little confusing, because we have all heard for years in how small he was, but in fact 5/8 is really not that small."

Bruce as Kato in ABC Televisions The Green Hornet (1967)

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Nah says on 22/Mar/15
no. 5'8. Next to sammo hung (5'7) he appears a bit taller

Nah says on 22/Mar/15
5'7 but his physique is proportionate and his posture was great so he never really seemed awkwardly short

Ryan says on 25/Feb/15
I agree 171cm is his height. Rob do you think that his thin muscular body frame in some pictures makes him look taller.

DMC says on 20/Dec/14
by the way,Bruce lee's height was 5.7 inc.moreover I found a book called wing chun and a book of his invented techniques by Bruce lee..be careful don't try to find me ,when the times come u will find me.

Andrew M says on 13/Dec/14
A big man in every other sense. His achievements in martial arts are staggering, as an innovator, teacher, and fighter. I know he never competed in official martial arts tournaments, but the man who discovered him, Ju-jutsu pioneer Prof. Wally Jay, said that in Hong Kong, Bruce had become the boxing champ of the island, but not by using Western boxing, but Wing Chun Kung Fu. Chuck Norris has said he reckoned no-one would beat Bruce in a street-fight, although he didn't expand on that.
For me though, it was as much about the obstacles he overcame - racism in America, both from film & TV producers, and also from other Chinese American Kung Fu teachers who said Bruce shouldn't teach non-Chinese people. And he also badly damaged a nerve in his back by not warming-up properly before a weight-lifting session, leading doctors to say he probably wouldn't walk right again, and yet he defied them to display incredible kicking ability. He was dedicated, persistent, intelligent, and generous; and his death was not only a great loss to the martial arts world, but the world in general.

Saeed says on 26/Aug/14
Bruce lee doesn't look short at all in fact I think he has a decent height

Galaga says on 20/Aug/14
@Robby D and Ethan..I wear a size 12(US)shoe and I'm only 5'5"1/2; It's as if I went into a Jeff Goldblum Fly pod, had my molecules crap all over me and spit me out as a Hobbit (small body, big feet). My brother is almost 6ft and wears a size 10.5. I have no idea what happened to me; Thanks genetics!

Jatobá says on 19/Aug/14
everybody here is jealous about Bruce Lee...
why he couldn't have 5'7"1/2?????

Robby D says on 19/Jul/14
IR. I cannot see Lee anywhere near 5'7.5" unless he was wearing shoes and I doubt Chuck Norris was much over 5'8" barefoot, if he were that.

IR says on 18/Jul/14
Bruce Lee 5' 7.5"
Chuck Norris 5' 8.75" peak , he could have been close to 5' 9" barefoot and with shoes that would make him up to 5' 10" so he could claim that.

Robby D says on 2/Jul/14
Ethan W. Bruce Lee may have been 5'8" in his wildest dreams but not in reality. Interesting how people who add inches to their heights do not increase their shoe sizes!

Ethan W says on 1/Jul/14
how come bruce is 5'8" and he wears a 7.5. im the exact same height and i wear a 10.5?

Robby D says on 29/Jun/14
Exorcist. You are absolutely right about his shoe size and a size 7.5 in the USA would be equivalent to a size 6.5 in the UK which I can tell you right now is tiny and more inclined to fit a person of around 5'4' or 5'5" in my opinion.

The Exorcist says on 26/Jun/14
His brother quoted Bruce's shoe size at 7.5?

A US 7.5 shoe size would be the equivilant of a UK 6.5 size, right? That's a small foot for someone in the 5'7.5" - 5'8" range. I'm 5'5" range and my shoe size is 9 US/ 8 UK.

Robby D says on 25/Jun/14
I still think Bruce Lee was 5'6", that was all he looked next to Bolo and several sources have said he was 5'6". Lots of short celebs and sportsman exaggerate their heights a few examples being Jason Priestley, David Cassidy and Michael Owen and Bruce Lee was no exception in my opinion. The fact remains that whereas Rob can be photographed with certain celebs, we can never confirm Lee's height because he has passed on, hence the fact that this site shows his height in accordance with his claim of 5'7.5", however, you only have to look at his stature to see that he was well short of his claim. Look at Lionel Messi who is a genuine 5'6.5" and makes no claims to be taller. Messi looks taller than Lee ever was to me.

Sajad007 says on 19/May/14
Frankie Edgar of UFC is 5'6".... if we compare bruce lee to him, then bruce seems 5'7" fair enough! I am also 5'7"... i c my frame equivalent to bruce lee...

The Big Dipper says on 26/Apr/14
By the way, that video claims that Lee was 5'6". Don't know where they're getting that number from, but he looks 5'6" to me.

The Big Dipper says on 26/Apr/14
Honestly, I feel that he looks smaller than 5'7" when he fought Kareem Abdul Jabar. I mean, I know Kareem was huge, but he looks almost two feet taller than him. Anyone else notice this? The battle starts at 2:17 in this video:Click Here

RisingForce says on 18/Apr/14
Rob, it might be good to mention Bruce's 5'7.5", 140 pound claim at the top of the page from the radio interview posted below in case youtube takes it down in the future.

Inches says on 1/Apr/14
Bruce was a very well proportioned man. A strong 5-7 is my guess. He looks it!

77Stan says on 3/Nov/13
I read it on a magazine that Bruce was 176cm. Sammo hung is 172cm according to the cyclopaedia. Before I went to college, the physical examination told me that I was 176cm. Later, I went to college and did a physical examination again. My stature became 174cm. These years, all the physical examinations told me that I was 177.5cm. But a woman said I looked 170cm, much shorter than 1-179 guy. So, our stature changes.

Anthony Waller says on 2/Nov/13
Yes, bruec lee was about 5ft7, countless people who knew bruce lee confirm it so that outweighs any rare and occasion 5feet6 predictions.
He is clearly taller than Sammo in ETD by 1.5 inches at the very least. So Bruce doesnt need to be under scrutiny. Find out how tall Sammo was in 1973 and whatever he is, add and inch or so for bruce lee.

Rampage(-_-_-)Clover says on 28/Oct/13
His son Brandon said he was 5ft7 when an ignorant interviewer asked "your father was what...5"4,5"5?"

Richard Pawlaski says on 20/Oct/13
Bruce is at least an inch taller than Sammo hung in the opening scene of ETD, but even 2 inches taller.

So people want him to be shorter than he is for some reason. To say he is 5ft 6 is just being mean, he was a giant of a man if not physically height wise.
He was 5ft7 at least.

Marcell T says on 10/Oct/13
A solid 5'6 to 5'7. I know he was mentioned at 5'7' 1/2, but who's measurement is that? Personal measurements are notorious for being inaccurate. When they stand side to side, he looks the same height as bolo young, who is 5'6, and sammo hung who is 5'6. By looking about the same height means, 5'6 1/2 to 5'7 1/2 MAX. I guess you could say 5'7, but a strong 5'6 is not out of the question.

Robby D says on 30/Sep/13
Powerhouse. Not necessarily odd. I am over 4 inches taller than my Dad and he was 7 inches shorter than his Father. My Brother-in-law was 6'4" and yet the first of his three sons only reached 5'8" his other two sons got to be 6'3" and 6'2" respectively. It goes that way sometimes.

Powerhouse says on 27/Sep/13
His son Brandon Lee said Bruce was 5'7 in a interview. Kind of odd that his son was over 4 inches taller than himself.

leonari says on 23/Sep/13
Those saying 5''8 need to go to some eye doctor. His frame screams 5'7" on a good day.

Robby D says on 18/Sep/13
Brad. His early 5'8" claim was ridiculous, his later 5'7.5" claim equally so, 5'7" would be unlikely, 5'6.5" possible, my guess for him would be 5'6" flat, he was the same height as Bolo.

Brad says on 16/Sep/13
5' 6.5". Gene was blown off by Bruce.Bruce trained himself and set up the fights himself. He got jacked by Fox and made up the 5' 4" listing.

IR says on 14/Sep/13
Bruce was 5' 7" flat, like me!

Scott five eleven says on 7/Sep/13
Whether he was 5'7 or 5'8 it's amazing how he was under 140 pounds in weight but still looked very well proportioned. Muscle does weigh up more than fat on the body and he was around 136 lbs in his prime and had a great rip to his muscle. I would rather weigh less and be ripped muscle wise than heavier and carry fat. I'd say he was 5'8, he did look it.

Oliver says on 17/Aug/13
5'6-ish , maybe 5'7

Dayo says on 9/Aug/13
I can see him being 5'8'' even though he has Chinese genetics and was born in 1940. Isn't he like 1/4 Caucasian?

Dr JJ says on 21/Jul/13
Highly unlikely he was as much as 5' 8". That would have been significantly taller than the average in Kowloon for those born in the late 1930s early 1940s. I can't see anything above 5' 6" although 5' 5" is my estimate.

liz says on 16/Jul/13
Gene LeBell said he was 5'4". Gene trained bruce so he would know. Why does it matter anyway? It doesn't. People are obsessed with height. It all stems from insecurity,ignorance or both. "If I'm taller then him I'm better" = human simple minded ignorance.

Chinna says on 9/Jul/13
Exlent hight and weight super finess body

hazaratajik says on 28/Jun/13
5'6 is more like it . 5'7 is his stage height

Always says on 2/Jun/13
I am 173cm, but people think I look like 175-177 or something. I don't get it, but it could be because I am a bit too skinny :P. I workout almost everyday now, and I've done so in a year now. I weigh 65 kilos, but the BMI says it's in the normal weight range, so I'm good :). How much did Bruce weigh with that height then? Btw, I'm almost in the same situation as Pothead. I told my friends, I am 173, and they were like "no, I don't believe it". I got a bit angry, because that IS my height. I am 173!! I measured it correctly like 6 times to be sure, and I got 173 to 173.2 every time. They are either joking or idk.

I think Bruce was very small. But what I have heard is that, when you make crunches, your spinal cords are being pressured against each other, and when that happens you get smaller!! No ****, because it happened to me, when I did like 80 crunches. Very difficult :(. And then my back hurt, but after I measured my height, I lost about 1cm maybe..

Pothead says on 29/Apr/13
Ok. I am 5'6.25" barefoot. 90% of people think I am either 5"7 or 5"8 when they guess my height.

Robby D says on 8/Apr/13
Marcus. I doubt he was as short as 5'5" however, I did see his height listed in a magazine as 1.67m which is about 5'5.75". I wondered at the time if the 1.67m was confused as 67" hence the 5'7" claims. Bolo is listed as 5'6" and when photographed with Lee, they look exactly the same height. Bolo is certainly not an inch and a half shorter which would be the case if Lee's 5'7.5" claim was true.

Marcus says on 24/Mar/13
Bruce Lee is towered over by his co-star Van Williams, in the "Green Hornet" television series. Williams was listed at 6'0" back in the 1960's, when the show aired. Based solely on their appearances together on this series, Lee appears to be approximately 5'5".

marc says on 16/Mar/13
in a documentaty about his life it said he stood at 5ft7 and a half

Robby D says on 1/Feb/13
Above there is a quote from Robert Lee saying that he (Robert) is 5'7" and that Bruce was an inch taller at 5'8". Then "Superbeauty" says on 22/Oct/12 as per Robert Lee, that "Bruce was between 5'6" and 5'7" or let's put it this way, he wasn't 5'7"! Bruce had a tendency to say he was taller than he was and 5'6" sounds better than 5'8". So that is two alleged statements from Robert Lee, one completely contradiciting the other. I would go along with the second statement which has also been endorsed by Bruce's wife Linda.

Ricardo. says on 29/Jan/13
His brother Robert, is certainly exaggerating (with his 5'8", assertion) , if Bruce wasn't. Bruce does 'claim' 5'7 1/2 as you'll hear this radio interview (at about 3:05)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP--Lh_hFsQ

Sbu says on 11/Jan/13
There is a telephone interview of Lee on Youtube, from about 1973 I think, the interviewer asks Lee hs height, Lee says "five seven and a half". I guess it is quite common for people to round up half inches so he may have been listed as 5'8", also he injured his back in his 20's so could have lost a half inch but I think that as he himself said 5'7.5" he was. Lee seemed like a very intelligent man and not one to lie about his height. Also he looked about this height.

gaz says on 9/Jan/13
He was not 5'8 he claimed in an american radio imterview that he was 5'7.5 when he was asked his height and weight.

Peyman-6ft says on 9/Jan/13
bruce wasn't under 5ft7in
I bet
but somebody tell me which one is more worthwhile to be proud of?
6'4'' or one inch punch?!

RyanM says on 7/Jan/13
No way he was 5'8. You can see that he was very similar to another actor in ETD, Bolo Yung, who is confirmed 5'6. Realistically, Bruce was between 5'6 1/2 and 5'7 1/2.

Anonamous says on 17/Dec/12
When I was 11 or 12 years old I always thought he was 5'10" tall he ,wasnt much of a short guy

Daniel Craig says on 9/Nov/12
Bruce lee was a a short guy. 5FEET 7INCHES he looked to me. Do not know why some people continually say he is 5feet 6.5 every once in a while?
What problem have they got with him being 5feet 7.5 inches which is what he was, who some rounded down to 5ft7. He may have stood 5ft6ish at some point in his life but most of his life was taller, so why mention his shortest ever height?
No reason at all, just as i thought.

Rick Occonnell says on 31/Oct/12
Nah he wasnt 5ft6. People wouldnt exagerate his incredibly long reach, and if he was 5ft6ish with an incredibly long reach he would look like a monkey or orangutan.

Bruce lees peers mostly mention him as 5ft7 and thats nothing to do with what bruce lee says. When bruce lee is standing next to tall people like coburn, wall, lewis he dont look like 5ft6.

Superbeauty says on 22/Oct/12
Per Robert Lee; "Bruce was between 5'6 and 5'7 or let's put it this way, he wasnt 5'7!" Bruce had a tendency saying he was taller than he was. 5'8 sounds better than 5'6!

Brad says on 5/Oct/12
I should ask his photographer from Enter The Dragon sunday, maybe his wife if she appears, Wall-Saxon-Kelly are.

gaz says on 25/Sep/12
He definitely was not over 5'7.5. In an interview that is on youtube with Bruce he was asked his height and weight and claimed 5'7.5 135 lb. So around 5'7 - 5'7.5

GG says on 23/Sep/12
Bruce had legs that are different in lengths which explains why he can vary in height.

Alan says on 11/Sep/12
nothinbutninja, Bruce lee was nothing like YOU but a human not -god- as you wrote..., But he has done what he knew.,.,!

kevin says on 8/Sep/12
Bruce was definitely 172cm at his peak. Here is Bruce with Chuck Norris who is wearing what appears to be dress shoes with 1 inch heels, and Bruce wearing .5inch flats, and looking just an inch shorter. I'd say Chuck was close to 5'8.5" and with those shoes he would be 5'9.5", which would make Bruce close to 5'8"

Edward Todd says on 28/Aug/12
Ive no doubt to some think he looked 5ft6ish. But the guy was rather long in the limbs. Look at his neck, his arms etc. If Sammo hung can pass himself off as 5ft7, and bruce looks 2 inches taller dont be harsh on bruce lee.

If Bruce lee stood up straight trying to make himself as long as he can be, which is how you measure your height he is a 5ft7ish guy in anyones book.

Edward Todd says on 20/Aug/12
Bruce Lee was 5ft 7 give or take really. Some have said he is 5ft6ish, maybe because they thought that is what he looked like and its hard to approxiamte anyones height from just meeting someone. YOu can make a rough estimate that is all.

For instance i can meet a genuine 6footer, but he may look 5ft 11 to me. Thats just the way it is. So you will hear stories of people thinking he is 5ft6 or so, genuine mistakes i would say.

Peyman says on 17/Aug/12
Mike Tyson is really great but he is nobody in comparison with Bruce Lee.
now back to his height : I think 5ft 7.5in is totally a true listing ,but yeah sometimes he could apear shorter but whats the difference he was Bruce Lee.
indeed a true legend !!!

jimjo says on 29/Jul/12
I am 5'7'', very fit, and weigh 132 lbs. I can see him being 128.

Mr. Kaplan says on 21/Jan/12
He weight was recorded at 128 at the time of his death.